


apple cider and cinnamon donuts

by buoyantsaturn



Series: auctober2020 [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, hayrides and pumpkin patches and apple orchards!!! oh my!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26670145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buoyantsaturn/pseuds/buoyantsaturn
Summary: Will works at his grandmother's farm, and Nico's cousins are embarrassing.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: auctober2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939612
Comments: 10
Kudos: 118
Collections: Solangelo Auctober 2020





	apple cider and cinnamon donuts

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! happy auctober!!  
> fall farm fun probably wasn't the most descriptive prompt but here's where my mind went with it!! enjoy!!

Will loved fall. He loved the pumpkin patches and apple orchards and corn mazes, and the fact that his grandmother’s farm had all three made everything so much better. Now that he was old enough, he got to spend every weekend helping out - selling tickets for the corn maze and renting out baskets for apple picking. It was always nice to know he had a job lined up when the school year started, and didn’t have to fight to get into the nearest Spirit Halloween.

There was a chill in the air signifying that summer had officially ended, and the farm was crowded by families and groups of friends. A small part of Will wished he could be out there getting lost in the corn maze or cuddling with somebody on the hayride out to the apple orchard. But alas, he would have to enjoy the farm from inside the ticket booth. At least his mom stopped by on occasion with a cup of apple cider for him.

It had been a long morning of handing out tickets before Will finally got a long enough break that he could actually sit down. He knew it wouldn’t last long, since he could already see another group of teenagers heading his way - the two older ones seeming to drag the younger behind them. 

Will tried to enjoy his last few seconds of sitting before the group approached the ticket booth. 

“C’mon, Neeks, when was the last time we got to hang out, just the three of us?” The older guy asked, still tugging at the arm of who looked like his possible younger brother. 

“Yeah,  _ Neeks,” _ the girl teased. “It’s a cousin tradition, and you ditched us last year. Besides, I think today might be worth your while.” She hooked her arm through  _ Neeks’s, _ and nudged him with her elbow. He frowned, glaring at her at first before he looked toward the ticket booth, toward  _ Will, _ and his eyes widened. The girl leaned in and whispered in his ear, still loud enough for Will to hear, and said, “He’s cute, right?”

Neeks flinched, and glared at her once more. “You’re gay!” he exclaimed, but he wasn’t  _ denying it. _

“No way, she’s totally right!” the guy said, and Neeks turned to glare at him next.

“You’re  _ straight!” _

“And  _ you’re _ not denying it! C’mon.” He started pulling Neeks toward the booth, but Neeks batted his hands away. “Alright, fine.” He stepped up to the booth by himself, placing his hands on the counter and grinning at Will. Will was pretty sure he could’ve gotten lost in his sea green eyes if he hadn’t just heard that this guy was straight, and if there hadn’t been someone much more interesting to look at standing right behind him. “Hi there! Three tickets for the corn maze, please.”

“Uh, sure,” Will replied with his best customer service smile, and couldn’t help but glance back at Neeks, who was struggling against his other cousin’s hold. “That’ll be nine dollars.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, not-so-subtly glancing over his shoulder at Neeks and then shooting Will another smile. “He’s single, by the way. You know, if you’re into that grungy-emo-thing.”

Will made sure to keep his smile professional. “Mhm. So, here are your tickets, and the entrance to the corn maze is right around the corner of the barn.”

“Thanks,” the guy said, and stepped away from the counter so that the next customer could pay. As Will started assisting them with their apple picking baskets, he caught Neek’s eyes before he could walk around the corner of the barn. 

* * *

Will had Neeks on his mind for the next week. Sure, he’d seen the occasional attractive guy or girl come through the farm, but something about Neeks left Will wanted more. He hadn’t even  _ spoken _ to him, but something about those dark eyes and that tiny smile that Neeks had given him as he was leaving the farm that night… If Will could choose anyone to cuddle with on a hayride through the apple orchard, it would be Neeks. 

Unfortunately, Will rarely saw anyone come back to the farm twice in the same year. Most people came once, got their fill of pumpkins and apples and donuts, and stayed away until the next year. Will could only hope that Neeks would show up again, even if it was a full year away. 

He tried not to mope when couples came through the farm because it wasn’t like he and Neeks would even have the  _ possibility  _ of dating, but he was always relieved when he would see singles or groups step into line.

Will had just rented out a basket to a couple of younger high schoolers probably on a first date, and had his eyes on the money box below the counter when he said, “Hi, welcome to Solace Farms, what can I--” He looked up and froze at the sight of Neeks standing in front of him, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket and shoulders hunched awkwardly. “Um. Hi.”

“Hi.” Neeks said softly. “Um. I don’t know if you remember me, but I was here last week, and my cousins kind of made a scene…” 

“No, I remember,” Will said, a smile slowly blooming on his lips. “Neeks, right?” 

His cheeks grew pink. “It’s Nico, actually.”

“So...are you here to rent a basket?” Will asked, barely glancing at the line growing behind Nico. 

“Um. Maybe?” Nico scuffed the toe of his shoe in the dirt. “I was actually wondering… I mean, I know you’re working, but… Any chance you might have a break coming up soon? I was gonna get some cider and donuts, and was hoping you could maybe...split a box of donuts with me?” 

Will felt his jaw about to drop in surprise, but he quickly traded it for a big smile. “I’d love to! I’ve got, like, twenty minutes before I can take a break, so if you wouldn’t mind hanging around until then…?”

Nico offered him a soft smile. “Yeah. I’ll just be...over by the petting zoo. I’ll see you soon.”

Will’s grin grew, and Nico stepped out of line with a tiny wave.

All Will could think about for the next twenty minutes was sipping cider next to Nico on on a hayride.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! check out solangeloweek on tumblr for more auctober stuff!


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